We will overcome: narratives of Black executive women overcoming experiences of implicit bias in corporate America

Abstract

The purpose of my research was to study the lived experiences of Black executive women and the barriers they faced relating to race and gender differences that influenced their leadership development and limitations in U.S. corporate businesses. My goal was to explore the lived experiences as they related to implicit bias in the workplace, how they navigated the challenges based on the intersection of gender and race in their leadership roles, and the coping mechanisms that Black women holding senior level positions in corporate America used to deal with biases resulting from the effects of intersectionality. As part of this dissertation, data collection was conducted using the qualitative phenomenology method. To ensure I collected the emotions and stories of my participants, I used semi-structured questions and journaled my thoughts after each interview to capture the responses from my participants. I explained the purpose of the study to each participant and asked open-ended questions to gain insights into their experiences, contributing to a better understanding of the study. The responses from my participants presented four themes and several subthemes involving their experience as leaders working in positions not dominated by individuals sharing their racial or gender identification. The dissertation will conclude with recommendations for future research that are presented along with implications for practice in the Human Resources industry to help underrepresented Black women in executive leadership roles in U.S corporations.